Mary's Pledge

By KT Morrison

There’s only one thing Jack Kingsway has ever told Mary he wanted: to be an Omega Man. To be a member of the most prestigious and ancient fraternity, one with its tendrils in every place of power in the world.

He’s legacy. Except for one knot in the rope: his father rejected them. And it ruined the man’s life. Jack swore he would restore to Omega House the Kingsway tradition.

But when Jack finds out there’s a price he’s not willing to pay, he knows he’ll have to suffer the same fate as his father. Mary knows Jack can be a stuffed shirt, but he’s a man the way she dreams a man will be.

The top men of Omega House are rich, and powerful, and handsome. She'll pay the price for Jack. She’ll do whatever they want...

• Language: English
• Publisher: KT Morrison
• Release date: Aug 14, 2019
• ISBN: 9780463259351

KT Morrison

KT Morrison writes stories about women who fall in love with sexy men who aren't their husband, and loving relationships that go too far—couples who open a mysterious door, then struggle to get it closed as trouble pushes through the threshold.

Book preview

1

Though he was over an hour early, Jack Kingsway crossed the College Road onto the girls’ side of the campus, headed to McKenzie House where Mary lived. At one of the side ground-floor windows that looked into the empty administration office he stopped to check his reflection. It was approaching dusk, but there were no interior lights so he was able to comb his hair, adjust his tie, give his shave one last check. He’d engaged Mary for the evening to see a show in the town, but with an extra hour now he’d like to treat her to a Coke at the diner before the movie started.

Up the three stone steps that led to the women’s dorm house, in through the vestibule, he went to the front desk, found it unattended so he tapped the bell on the counter to let them know there was a visitor. Before help arrived at the desk, Mary’s roommate, Hazel, descended the steps dressed as though she were heading out for the evening. He called to her.

Hello, Jack, how are you? she asked as he met her at the bottom of the steps.

Are you girls done studying for the evening?

Hazel was an ascetic city girl—the opposite of Mary—always poised and smartly dressed and never seen to be impressed by anything. Her hair was pulled back from her face and held by a headband, falling in full chestnut waves to her shoulders. Below her light wool coat she wore leggings and polished shoes. She cocked her head and frowned as though she didn’t understand him and rested her leather glove palm over the carved upside down acorn that formed the newel post at the bottom of the dorm house’s staircase. Studying, Jack? I’m afraid I don’t follow. Only her eyebrow raised.

Mary said you girls were studying maths this evening.

I’m afraid you’ve misunderstood, Jack. I’ve been at the library and Mary’s not in our room. I don’t know where she is.

You don’t know where she is?

As Hazel told him she was sorry again, Ms. Haskell, McKenzie’s den mother, appeared at the stair’s landing, removing her eyeglasses and letting them hang from the chain around her neck. Two steps down, she paused and regarded him with a stern expression.

He said, Good evening, Ms. Hask—

Your foot, Mr. Kingsway, she said, disregarding the niceties and getting right to protocol. While talking to Hazel he’d casually rested one foot on the first stair leading up to the girls’ rooms. He whisked it back and stood straighter.

I’m sorry, Ms. Hask—

On your way up the stairs, were you, Mr. Kingsway? Perhaps to see Mary, or are you interested in one of my other girls?

Of course not, Ms. Haskell. I was only talking to Hazel, I wouldn’t want to go upstairs unescorted.

Ms. Haskell shook her head and pursed her lips. Her light cardigan hung open over her shoulders and she plucked at it to tighten across her bosom before descending the stairs to join them. Of course you wouldn’t, Mr. Kingsway. Why would a randy eighteen-year-old boy want to get up to the second floor where all my young ladies sleep and shower and otherwise relax into vulnerability?

I would never, Ms. Haskell. I’m only here for Mary. And Mary is the only girl for me, we’ve been steady four years now, almost five, we’re—

Ms. Haskell raised a hand and closed her eyes with forced patience. I’m aware, Mr. Kingsway.

He said, Hazel said Mary’s not in…

Were you the one ringing my bell?

Yes, ma’am.

You don’t have an appointment.

I do, Ms. Haskell.

She narrowed her eyes. At 7 P.M., Mr. Kingsway, and unless my watch has raced ahead with the excitement of a new school year, you’re an hour early.

I am, Ms. Haskell. I only wanted to see if she was done studying. I’d like to take her out to the diner before the movie.

She studied him a moment longer, said, A movie.

Yes, Ms. Haskell. A Star Is Born.

Hazel said, May I please leave now, Ms. Haskell?

Good evening, Miss Gardner, she said without looking at her.

Good evening, Ms. Haskell, good evening, Jack, Hazel said, quickly stepping across the lobby rug to the front door.

Bye, Hazel, he said as she stepped out.

They both watched her leave and were quiet a moment before he said, Do you know where Mary went, Ms. Haskell?

I do not, Mr. Kingsway, she said, coming off the steps and walking around him to the walnut desk with the Victorian legs where he’d rung the bell. On the other side now, she stooped to retrieve a single white envelope from a shelf against the wall. She flapped it once against an open palm and studied him again without saying anything.

He said, Is that for Mary, Ms. Haskell?

"No, Mr. Kingsway. It’s from Mary. For you." She still watched him and made no effort to present it.

May I have it? He extended an open hand but she still would not pass it to him. Please, Ms. Haskell…?

Miss McConnell left this note with me to pass to you in the event she would not return in time to meet for your engagement.

Where has she gone?

"I told you, Mr. Kingsway, I do not know—my girls are free to come and go as they choose as long as they are within McKenzie’s walls before 10 P.M. At ten-oh-one I will alert campus authorities, and should they ever choose to sneak past me a male companion I will have them expelled. Simple rules I keep uncomplicated and therefore effective by the need to not-know-everything. Perhaps your Mary has gone to the library."

Would you give me her letter, please, Ms. Haskell?

"Mr. Kingsway, Mary is not late for her engagement, you are an hour early."

You won’t give it to me, Ms. Haskell? Please, it can’t make a difference, if she tells where she’s gone perhaps I can still meet up with her.

Ms. Haskell’s posture didn’t change, and he feared she would stick to the rules and keep the letter until 7 P.M. Or more likely, seven-oh-one.

Please, Ms. Haskell…? She’s put my name on it, it’s meant for me—I can see my name in her handwriting…

Ms. Haskell set her eyeglasses on the middle of her nose and regarded the front of the envelope. Mary had excellent penmanship, and she’d scrawled Jack across the front with a large and elaborate J. She flapped the envelope against her palm one more time and now regarded him overtop of the eyeglasses’ frames.

His eager hand was still extended. Please, Ms. Haskell…

She breathed one long heavy inhale and then an exhale. Good evening, Mr. Kingsway, she said, and his heart sank. But she flapped the envelope into his palm. The kindness was unexpected.

Thank you, thank you so much, Ms. Haskell, he gushed.

The slightest smirk tugged at her tight mouth. She said, Enjoy the movie, Mr. Kingsway. I hear Judy Garland is wonderful.

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